Briar Rose - Taekook

Chapter 56

Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I hope I'll be able to update more frequently from now on! :)

Unedited.

LVI: Jungkook

I can't control my body as I lean forward and wrap my arms around Taehyung's neck. Broken sobs wrack my body as we roll onto the grass, each trying to support the other. Taehyung's arms are warm and familiar around me, and I bury my face in his shoulder. It's him. It's really him. My Taehyung. He's murmuring comforting words into my ear, but I barely hear him over the sound of my own relief. We both cling to each other, finding comfort in the other's warmth.

After a while, I realize that Taehyung's gone silent, and raise my head, wondering what was wrong. He stares at me with a mixture of horror and pain, his gaze resting on the scars marring my cheeks. With the leaves in my hair, and a bit of blood on my tunic, I must look pretty bad. Taehyung gets off me and sits up, his eyes blank. I slowly sit up too, eyes never leaving Taehyung. He looks... sick.

"What have I done, Jungkook?" He whispers, looking blankly around. "What have I done to you? To everyone?"

"Tae..." I reach out, entwining our fingers. His hand is deathly cold. "You're fine now. See? Everything's fine."

"Jimin and Yoongi..." Taehyung's voice cracks. "Are they really... gone?" At my silence, his face whitens. His red eyes stand out even more against his pale skin, and suddenly, he looks much older than before.

"It's all my fault," Taehyung's voice is ragged. "It's my fault they're dead. The worst part is, I saw it happen. I watched their deaths unfold right before my eyes, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I had a dream, a long time ago, in which I was told my future. I saw Yoongi and Jimin's body there. I knew what was going to happen. I could have tried to stop it. But instead, I just watched." His hands tremble, and he buries his face in them. My heart breaks, seeing my soulmate this broken.

"Stop it!" I pry his fingers away from his face. "Stop blaming yourself Tae! It's not your fault." But he doesn't seem to be able to hear me. His crimson eyes focus on my face, and with a jolt, he pulls away from me. Like he's seen a ghost instead of me. He pulls his hands out of my grip, backing away a few steps. His red eyes look... haunted.

"I'll hurt you," The words come out in a rush. "I hurt everyone that gets close to me. I saw your body too, on the nightmare battlefield. Get away from me, Jungkook, while you still can. Run."

"I won't." My body shakes, but I meet his gaze with defiance. "I don't know what battlefield you saw, but it's not real. I'm real, Tae. And I've spent more days than I want to count without you at my side. I know you're afraid of hurting me, but you don't seem to realize that nothing can hurt me more than getting separated from you for a second time. So please, don't shut me out. If there's a problem, we can think through it together. Separation isn't the answer. It never was. And if you try to shake me off again and go off on your own, I'll follow you. I'll follow you to the ends of this earth if I have to, but I won't let you go. Not now, not ever." The pain of losing Taehyung hits me again, harder than ever, and I feel hot tears trickling down my cheeks. Taehyung merely stares at me, a shocked expression clouding his face. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, he nods.

"Come here," His arms once again encircle me as I sink gratefully into them, reveling in the touch of his body against mine. He's still here. He hasn't left me. Neither of us speaks for a long time, but I don't want to let go. I'm afraid if I do, he'll suddenly walk away, or disappear, leaving me to chase after him. So I cling onto him as hard as I can, and he doesn't loosen his grip on me either. Finally, Taehyung breaks the silence.

"Jungkook, you won't be happy with me." I don't look up at him. I can imagine his face well enough, with those sad eyes, and cautious words. Careful. He was always so careful with me. "I can't promise you an easy life, nor a peaceful one. You saw what I did back in Shadow Valley. You know I'm dangerous. I can't promise any of the things that other kings may tell their queens. If there's anything I can give you, it's only my promise to love and cherish you for eternity. And you deserve so much more than that. So much more than I can give you. After all of this, do you still want to be my queen?" His voice is uncertain, cracking at the edges.